7 Things About The Inside Of My BrainCase And This Blog

1. I am a Dad but also a few other things. I love being a Dad but to be only that would be suffocating and depressing. My philosophy on parenting is not relevant to anyone else outside the people I love most but here it is in a nutshell… Ninety percent of being an effective parent is loving your kids. The other ten percent involves not overreacting to their many normal – often challenging – behaviours. If I was going to give this a name it would be anchor parenting. I am here for my kids forever. As they develop courage and grow they will let more chain out and sail further away. Eventually they will sail out of sight. My job is to be here for them when they follow the chain home.

2. There is an objective world which I am aware of and in tune with but I am constantly subjectifying it. Everyone does this – people who say they don’t are being dishonest. Our actions in the world often contradict our thoughts and desires and for a safe and functioning society this is important, obviously. But I like the idea of blurring the boundaries a little. At times this blog has reflected my desire to do that. I also like the idea of using my blog to do this more often…

3. When people watch me dance at parties they says things like ‘Well, at least he’s having fun’ or ‘Man, that cat is a shit dancer’ but it doesn’t really matter because on the inside of my braincase I am the greatest dancer ever. And inside my braincase is all that matters.

4. Many people say I’m a faddist. This is entirely untrue but I can understand how they get to that opinion. I move constantly within my obsessions eg – I spent a lot of time writing poetry and going to poetry readings. I don’t anymore. I have written several novels but haven’t written another, or tried to get any published, for several years. There were a few years lost in writing horror stories. For the past four years I have blogged. To some people these changes in focus reflect an inability to follow things through. But this is only because of their strange way of measuring success. It prevents them from seeing my lifetime’s consistency. I have been doing this thing I love – writing – since my early teens.

This is the most accurate thing that anyone has ever said about me. When I’m feeling down I reflect on this observation, focus on one or more of those things, and suddenly bluebirds start landing on my shoulders. Twirpy little bastards.

6. This blog is interactive in a way that suits me. You can visit my favourite parts easily – Wednesdays From The Womb and The Blog. Soon you will be able to visit The Freak Files which will take you to the freakier side of me – horror stories, irregular thoughts and occurences. This will be open to short story submissions (email me here for more info). You can log your workouts and train hard with me by registering with RD’s Gym.

7. This blog is a doorway to the inside of my braincase. I am aware that this may be scary to many readers but I am not concerned. I will simply imagine their strong reaction encouraging many of their friends to enter. Their friends’ friends will also be too curious to stay outside. This is a very encouraging development for me. On the inside of my braincase there are many rooms. I can house all of you. You may enter and feel more comfortable than you ever have before. Or you may feel freaked out and confused. However, the way you feel is not relevant. Once you enter you will never leave. If you can see the picture below, you are mine. This braincase has sealed shut around you.

About The Author

I fell into this blogging thing but now see it as that crucial cog in the machine. Blogging offers me a great creative outlet with an immediate audience. It freshens my perspective. Reliving my time with the boys, recording our last pregnancy and the birth of our fourth child and dancing around the intimate moments of my relationship with Reservoir Mum acts as a time capsule for my family, adds a little extra to my world, and reminds me of how good I’ve got it.

A hard day at the office becomes a learning experience in retrospect, a chance to colour the most difficult moments with a touch of the crazy, something to savour, something to reread later with the boys on my lap.